SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Walt Weiss made a favorable debut as manager on Saturday, leading the Rockies to an 11-2 victory over the Diamondbacks in the spring training opener for both clubs.

It was a spring game, Weiss reminded. The results aren’t the issue as much as the points of emphasis.

“For me I didn’t get caught up too much in managing my first game. I just wanted to see our guys play to be honest with you,” Weiss said. “They went out and did a great job.”

Weiss has stressed groundballs from his pitching staff and first-pitch strikes. The Rockies turned a nifty 3-6-3 double play, started by Michael Cuddyer. And the pitchers finished with eight strikeouts. They had four walks, but two were from Drew Pomeranz in the first two innings. Pomeranz reached 93 miles per hour on this fastball, and worked quickly. His best pitch was arguably a curveball that froze Miguel Montera to end the first inning.

“He’s a tough at-bat for anybody. You don’t see the ball well. It’s hard and heavy. The command is the next step for him. I thought he did a nice job,” Weiss said.

The Rockies finished with 18 hits. Second baseman Josh Rutledge, playing his first game at Salt River Fields because he was not in big league camp last year, went 3-for-3 with four RBIs, including a double. Tim Wheeler and Kent Matthes homered.

“I feel comfortable up there, which is good this early,” Rutledge said. “I feel this team knows the talent we have and the things we can do.”

Troy Tulowitzki left the game after batting in the top of the third. He went 1-for-2 and had no issues running the bases. He will get a planned rest day Sunday.

“It was a good mental test, and I thought he passed it well,” Weiss said.

The Rockies face the Diamondbacks on Sunday with Jeff Francis starting opposite of Patrick Corbin.

First game! Baseball is back and the WBC should be interesting (is it un-American to cheer for Communist Venezuela with 3 Rox on the squad and none on team USA?). If Pomeranz takes a good step towards achieving the talent that all-scouts saw before 2012, this team gets better fast (has to repeat that delivery, oddly the same issue for Ubaldo in Clevland). Still wonder what this team does with the depth in OF. Cuddy is a nice player but guys like Colvin, Blackmon, Wheeler, Dickerson and Ortega are younger, better defensively, cheaper and aside from in some cases power output, can give simliar output. Wonder if an injury here or there will bring a trade.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.